1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a method for selecting multimedia offerings for display on a television set using a set top box.
2. Description of the Related Art
Interactive multimedia services can be utilized both with correspondingly equipped personal computers as well as with specific auxiliary devices such as a (Set Top Box, STB) for commercially available television sets. The PC (personal computer) has input devices such as keyboard and a mouse available to it and is therefore particularly suited for interactive services with text input and text display. Due to the large picture screen area, television sets with auxiliary device are preferably utilized for interactive services and for qualitatively high-grade playback of multimedia data. PCs are usually located in the work room in the dwelling, whereas the television set can usually be found in the living room. In the future, many households will have both a PC as well as a television set with an auxiliary device that are connected either locally or via public networks (see FIG. 1).
Interactive video services such as, for example, video-on-demand and other multimedia services are being currently tested in various pilot projects. Broadband communication networks such as the broadband ISDN (integrated services distributed network) that are capable of real-time transmission are required for the transmission of video films from a server and subscriber in order to assure the service quality that is demanded for video services. Television sets that are equipped with an auxiliary device such as a set top box (STB) for sequencing the interactive services are mainly employed as terminal equipment. The selection of the service provider as well as of the video films usually ensues with the assistance of specific applications also referred to as (navigators) that are made available by the network operator or the service provider.
The PC is also being increasingly utilized for communication tasks (fax, Internet access) in private households. Computer networks, such as the Internet, are in fact not suitable for the transmission of video data in real time. However, these networks offer a multitude of services and information that can be accessed with the assistance of user-friendly applications such as, for example, Mosaic or Netscape. In particular, the Internet is developing more and more from a search network to a platform for all types of commercial services that are distributed via the network. In the future, vendors of interactive video services will also advertize their services in the Internet.
After the selection of a film, the user must first leave the PC in the previous solution, set up a connection to the corresponding service vendor via the broadband network with the assistance of the set top box and again operate the navigator thereof in order to ultimately receive the desired film.